Is smoking tobacco a sin ?

[disciplehelovestoo]

In that scripture about defiling the temple, it never comes out and says what that means.  To me, it means doing anything that defiles your body, period.  I personally believe smoking defiles your body, so from my vantage point, smoking is a sin.  I do not believe this in any way, shape or form contradicts anything Jesus said.  If you want to talk about context, Jesus was speaking of one's hands not being washed before eating, and the possibility of some dirt mixing with food.  I could come up with some examples that would prove that Jesus comments weren't all encompassing, but I am not going to go that far in a Christian forum to prove my position. 

 

BTW, it is absurd to say that since we breathe in fumes going down the highway, that is the equal of smoking.  I don't even believe being around second hand smoke is the equal of smoking.  There is no link between driving a car and lung cancer.  There is a possible link in cancer if you continuously breathe fumes while pumping fuel, and that is why they have those rubber things over the end of the hoses now.  Making comparisons like that mean nothing anyway.  It is a separate issue.  If you want to start another thread asking if it is a sin to drive a car, go for it, but it has no bearing on whether or not it is a sin to smoke.  It is just like the obesity issue.  Saying it is a sin to over eat doesn't make smoking more or less sinful. 

you are free to believe what you choose; as is the smoker, the non-smoker, and we who use the highway; but to pluck a scripture out of context is a dangerous thing IMO.  So, Jesus was speaking of washing hands, and the context is that you might eat some dirt - what has that got to do with defiling a man?  you say there is no link between exhaust and illness; yet many who get lung cancer never smoked or worked around asbestos; there is no question that exhaust fumes are bad to breathe; this has been proven - at what point does breathing these fumes as a sacrifice to convenience become a sin?  when science links the two to a terminal illness?  surely science does not interpret scripture...

[GoldenEagle]

Alright for a moment assuming smoking (still am reading the passages provided) is sin then is second-hand smoke causing someone else to sin?

I thought second-hand smoking was just as toxic over time to those who are around smokers?

[Guest shiloh357]

Alright for a moment assuming smoking (still am reading the passages provided) is sin then is second-hand smoke causing someone else to sin?

I thought second-hand smoking was just as toxic over time to those who are around smokers?

Second-hand smoke and what it does to others is a sin by the smoker against the other person who has to be afflicted by it.

[Jerry1023]

Nobody is worthy to stand before God and declare him or herself Immaculate,

The bible is like two edge sword,the knowledge of the word of God will empower or enable a true child of God,

To know and to depart from evil,

every genuine born again must be conversant with the word of God,

The entire christian race is center on the word of God,

We all know what is right and what is wrong,

Rebuke them that sin before all,so that others also may fear,

1 Timothy 5:20"

How do you rebuke someone that is doing what is not right before God and man,

telling the person that what he or she is doing,is bad and he is sinning against God,

does that mean you are judging the person?

1Ti 5:19-20

(19) Don't listen to any charge against a church leader, unless at least two or three people bring the same charges.

(20) But if any of the leaders should keep on sinning, they must be corrected in front of the whole group, as a warning to everyone else.

sometimes it's good to look at other translations. the context of 1Ti 5:20 is elders of the church (those who have accepted the responsibility to be leaders) who are willfully doing wrong things (as defined by scripture) even though they know those things are wrong; as leaders their willful disobedience would encourage others in the flock to do likewise, therefore they are to be rebuked openly in front of the other elders (not in front of everyone). this does not mean that we are to rebuke anyone who commits any wrong action (in our opinion) in front of everyone; nor does it mean that we are to judge what actions are wrong (other people's actions) that are not explicitly identified in scripture.

do you see the difference?

That very passage in the bible is for every believer,

Any body that call himself my brother in Christ,

must rebuke me,when ever he sees me going astray,or doing what will not profit me any good thing

because the voice of man is the voice of God,

I myself God had spoken to me in the dreamed,to go and tell a particular soldier man that he should stop sleeping with his wife younger sister,

the dream was very clear and expressly to me,

when i woke up,i was thinking on how to confront the man,

fear came upon me,because he was a soldier,

I seek for counselling on this site,

i posted the dreamed in one of the forums,

70% of the replies discourage me,but 30% encourage,one person pm,

me by telling me not to be afriad,that the dreamed is from God,that was all i need,

by God grace i went to the man,lo and behold,something positive happen to the glory of God,

the man thank me and promise God he will not do it again,

any were the man see me,he will be calling me pastor,

just because i told him the truth,

iam not a pastor,but a church goer,

beating around the bush will not help us,hit the point,what you are doing is ageinst the will of God for he or her life,

that is the best thing to do,

Jesus said,the words i speak to you,they are life and spirit,

sometimes the truth is always bitter,but we all know that only the truth can set us free.

[Openly Curious]

P.S. I have always loved smoking and how it made me feel. I guess in the end the reason I stopped is because I love Jesus more.    

[Openly Curious]

My decision was not to look at sin, but to look at what in my life did not glorify God, or shine as a light on the hill, and eradicate them through the power He invested in me by His Word.

 

One. By. One.

.

[GoldenEagle]

I think anything bad for your health is a sin.

 

Then perhaps that would mean avoidig all junk food, ice cream, sweets, alcohol, etc. Slippery slope there. 

And as another poster mentioned car fumes.

[GoldenEagle]

 

I have a quick question if you don't mind. After reading your post it seems to me that you are saying that we are not allowed to say something is a sin, otherwise we are judging. Is the correct understanding of your post?

 

not quite; be led by God and not by your own understanding; He may lead you to inform, but never to condemn, and always with the goal to bring the other person to focus on His grace, not their poor performance

 

 

This right here. Very good reminder DiscipleHelovestoo

 

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

 

i believe that the correct interpretation of any scripture must harmonize with scripture as a whole.

 

...

 

it seems to me that if 1Cor 3:16 is interpreted to mean what goes into a man's physical mouth, that it conflicts with what the Master said in Mar 7:15 and Mat 15:17.

 

 

Very good observation.

[GoldenEagle]

 

I would agree that smoking is poor stewardship. Smoking, generally speaking, isn't a sin.

 

Uh, poor stewardship of our bodies IS a sin.  Sin by nature is self-destructive when it works it's self out in our lives.  Smoking in any context is a self-destructive habit.  That is beyond dispute of any kind.

 

 

Sorry Shiloh we'll have to agree to disagree brother. Being a slave to an addiction (idoletry) is a sin. So chain smoking I'd consider sin for example. In moderation smoking is not a sin just as drinking alcohol in moderation is not a sin.

 

There is a difference.  Smoking has no health benefits. It is entirely destructive.  There is no "moderate" use of smoking like there is with alcohol.  Studies show that small amounts of alcohol have beneficial affects on the body.  Nothing like that occurs with smoking.  And in moderate drinking, the alcohol is processed out of the body.  The effects of cigarettes is permanent, particularly in the lungs.   Further, second hand smoke is bad for other people, so it is not just harming the smoker it is dangerous others as well.  Smoking, even in moderate amounts is bad for pregnant women and can lead to birth defects.   And BTW, smoking is addictive to people even if they are not chain smokers.  Someone might only smoke pack once every couple of days ,but their is an addiction in play.

 

..... {Full post here

 

 

After review and consideration as stated in here's what conclusions I've come to... As far as the passage in Romans 12 this is probably the strongest argument presented. That said, holiness is not an outward but an inward state of being. Smoking a pipe or a cigar once a year doesn’t make me less holy. To me, it is more about an attitude that reflects Christ’s love, mercy, grace, kindness, gentleness, goodness, and self-control.

 

I agree with disciplehelovestoo in from 1 Cor. 6:19-20 is about sexual immorality in context. So this passage is not a very good argument towards the issue of smoking. Smoking is not sexual in nature.

 

I think in context reviewing Romans 6 that it would really apply more towards what I’ve already mentioned – habitual sin that is in essence pride and idolatry. Being consumed by anything besides God seems to me to be indication of sin.

Again, I still think smoking is one of those permissable but not beneficial issues as seen in 1 Cor. 6:12. There is no doubt (and with cigarettes in particular) that smoking is very bad for your health. Smoking has been proven to damage the lungs and the heart. That said much like the arguments made about gambling it may be a sin to some and not to others.

 

Can someone smoke to the glory and honor of God? (1 Cor. 10:31) I'd say that's a hard thing to argue.

 

Shiloh I think the bottom line is too many times you try to win the argument (by proving your point or being right) and you end up losing your audience. I suppose if that is your intent then so be it. Not really sure the point of that or how effective it is in pointing others to the truth. Something to consider for sure brother.

 

God bless,

GE